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Works ministry has to explain what has happened to N19.2bn roads project money

IN what seems a manifestation of the pervasive culture of impunity in the country, the Federal Ministry of Works has failed to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, Ethics and Values, to explain what has happened to the N19.2billion it received in respect of some road projects across the country, more than two weeks after the committee invited it. And, as if to rub salt on injury, the ministry did not even deem it fit to dignify the committee with a reply.

The committee had invited the ministry over the road projects based on petitions sent to the lawmakers by concerned citizens alleging that the money had been misapplied. It is only logical for it to invite the ministry with a view to hearing its own side of the story as well as determine what needed be done to hasten the completion of the roads. Faced with a situation where they are not paid for long, it is only a matter of time for the contractors to abandon sites and this is unhelpful to the economy and unfair to Nigerian tax payers.

A breakdown of the projects and allocations is as follows: Lagos-Shagamu Road (N4 billion); Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway (N4.5 billion); Ilorin-Mokwa-Tigina-Gwari-Kaduna Expressway (N4 billion); Suleja-Minna Road (N2 billion); Abuja-Lokoja Road (N1.7 billion) and Apapa-Oshodi Expressway Phase 11 (N2 billion). About N18.2 billion was initially released for the projects while another N1,055,447,608.16 was allocated to the ministry to enable it properly renovate and refurbish the roads.

This indeed raises a cause for concern. Why would another N1billion be released for the projects when what was on ground did not justify that even the initial N18billion had been judiciously spent? We agree that given the way things are done in the country, with contract funds not released as at when due to contractors; leading to contract variation, it is possible that the contract costs may have to be adjusted upwards in some circumstances. But then, that should be a function of the work done. We wonder why any public official would have approved such payment. The matter becomes the more curious when it is realised that the contracts are only about two years old.

All these explain our support to the house committee for promptly responding to the petitions concerning the road contracts. Equally commendable is the fact that the committee did not just act based on the petitions, its members went round to inspect some of these projects and were able to confirm that despite the huge sums released for them, not much progress had been made two years after.

It is distressing that people in the Federal Ministry of Works who should know the importance of these roads to economic development and be concerned about the hardships faced by road users plying these roads are the ones throwing a spanner in the works. It is even the more disconcerting that the public officials concerned found it difficult to honour an invitation by the house committee saddled with the oversight function on such projects for whatever reason.

We find this unacceptable and support the committee’s decision to issue a warrant of arrest on the works minister. Indeed, that is the only way to encourage people with genuine petitions against public officials. When nothing is done to those involved in matters like this, people who should serve as whistle blowers would simply recoil into their shells; this is not good for the country.

We cannot continue to conduct public business this way. People must be made to obey constituted authorities, especially where public funds are involved. The matter is beyond the new permanent secretary that the committee hinted the Federal Government (which also felt concerned about the matter) has just appointed with a mandate to unravel what has happened to the money. That cannot be a substitute for the committee’s job. It is probably a way of sweeping the matter under the carpet.

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As long as there is no punishment for looters of the economy, people will continue to steal with impunity. Civil servants in Nigeria are even more corrupt than the politicians, they teach the politicians how to embezzle public funds. Jonathan and PDP have rendered the judiciary comatose, no known politician or civil servant has gone to jail since he assumed office. As long as this trend continues, our money will continue to be stolen because Jonathan made an admission that stealing is not corruption.